Social media can help spread Islam

The International Forum on Introducing Islam, which concluded here yesterday, emphasized the importance of the interfaith dialogue initiative of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and said it must be used as a means to spread the message of Islam.
The forum, which was attended by 200 prominent figures including Islamic scholars, thinkers, and academics from 17 countries, called for publishing a document on the basics of introducing Islam and dealing with people of other faiths and cultures. “Such a document will be very useful for Islamic centers and organizations working in various parts of the world,” the final communiqué said. The Makkah-based Muslim World League would coordinate with a special panel of experts to prepare the document.
The forum urged Muslim women and youth to play a significant role in propagating Islam, making use of modern social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. “We should also involve women and youth in volunteer services to use their energy in a constructive manner.”
The forum expressed its hope that the International Commission for Introducing Islam, an affiliate of MWL, would launch a television channel to introduce Islam and defend the religion against Islamophobia.
The conference called for the establishment of an Islamic studies and research center to support efforts in the area of introducing Islam. Establishment of a research chair on introducing Islam was another proposal made by the three-day forum.
MWL Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Turki, who opened the forum, said the mission of introducing Islam would not be complete without exerting concerted efforts to remove misgivings about the religion.
“Islam is a religion of mercy for the entire humanity. It is imperative to present the true picture of Islam, and for this we have to employ all the advanced means of modern information technology,” he said.
During the forum, a Spanish intellectual named Carlos Teriz Alfaro embraced Islam. Alfaro is president of Ibn Khaldun Cultural Society in Spain, which was established in 2008. Previously he worked as an adviser to the Spanish Communist Party.